Why did Atlas suddenly get less active?

[Virginiá]

Putting aside the surge in activity the past 2 days (which was met by pretty low activity today, comparatively), as soon as April 1st hit, the forum's typical online user count took a decent-sized hit and the regular post count started dipping back into the triple-digit range, where for basically the entire time since 2015 it has stayed in the 4 digits:




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It's like a bunch of regular users just stopped coming here, or stopped coming as often as soon as April came. I don't get it. Looking at the statistics since Jan 2016, there is definitely a sustained drop-off if you exclude Christmas week/new years. The "most online users" per day is lower than it used to be.

[Antonio the Sixth]

lol @ the idea that this has anything to do with the mods

[SATW]

lol @ the idea that this has anything to do with the mods

[Mr. Morden]

lol @ the idea that this has anything to do with the mods

I'd say it does only in the sense that Eharding being banned has probably reduced the forum's activity level.  Not just his own posts, but all of the reactions he would inspire in people.

[Virginiá]

I suppose you are right that without an election, there isn't as much purpose. The main levels of activity on the forum seem to have shifted to discussion on various events in General Discussion, and scattered special/foreign elections, and the usual Forum Community hijinks. I guess it's not surprising that the activity levels take a hit after this. The level of activity we saw with the 2016 election/first few months of 2017 did make me think Trump brought a new baseline of activity here, though.

My curiosity mainly sprang from the sudden drop as soon as April came. I'd expect a post-election drop in activity to be a bit more gradual, but that doesn't seem to be the case. And not only was it not gradual, but it happened on the first day of April, which seemed odd.

Meh, at any rate, any drop in activity will probably be short as we have some elections this Fall and once 2018 hits, things ought to get pretty interesting, particularly for liberals/Democrats as we salivate over any possible chance whatsoever to take back a chamber of Congress and let the subpoenas fly.

I'd say it does only in the sense that Eharding being banned has probably reduced the forum's activity level.  Not just his own posts, but all of the reactions he would inspire in people.

I thought about this too, and it is an interesting proposition. EHarding being gone automatically means between 35 - 75 posts a day shaved off the total count just from him, and then you have to factor in all the replies he would generate, mostly via arguments afaik.

[Antonio the Sixth]

lol @ the idea that this has anything to do with the mods

I'd say it does only in the sense that Eharding being banned has probably reduced the forum's activity level.  Not just his own posts, but all of the reactions he would inspire in people.

Which only goes to show that quantity =/= quality.

[LLR]

Personally, my post rate has plummeted recently, which doesn't have an effect day-to-day, but if enough others have as well...

[Mr. Morden]

Aside from the Eharding ban, there's also the collapse of AHCA, and the end of confirmation hearings for both Trump's Cabinet and Gorsuch.  Thus, activity in Congress has dried up, and I think they're in recess now anyway.  Since US General Discussion is the most active board, that has an impact.

[Dr. Arch]

Aside from the Eharding ban, there's also the collapse of AHCA, and the end of confirmation hearings for both Trump's Cabinet and Gorsuch.  Thus, activity in Congress has dried up, and I think they're in recess now anyway.  Since US General Discussion is the most active board, that has an impact.

I think this is a big part of it. In my personal case, the end of semester is coming around and the last month is the most busy for me, which = less activity.

[Torie]

I suspect that if EHarding had been banned ASAP, without the Cave trying as meticulously to apply the TOS as it is written, and in an even handed manner, there would have been a similar number of critics, just different ones. I based that in part on my poll, where there was about an even split between those who want to make quality/civility or whatever into the mix of things taken into consideration when considering punishment, and those who did not want to allow such subjectivity to be dumped into the Cave's brewing pot.  Sometimes it is just not possible to make most everyone happy all at once. Who knew? 

[Beet]

Maybe the weather got better? If Trump starts war I'm sure it'll be plenty active.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Maybe the weather got better? If Trump starts war I'm sure it'll be plenty active.

I don't think there's a wireless at my subway station, which will probably be adopted as a nuclear shelter.